Zumbrota, MN

Driving south on HWY 52? Check out Zumbrota, MN. What, you ask, is there to do in Zumbrota? Explore the charming downtown business district, grab a bite to eat, visit an art gallery, AND check out their claim to fame!

Zumbrota Covered Bridge - Minnesota's Only Remaining Covered Bridge

Claim to fame - Zumbrota boasts the only remaining covered bridge in Minnesota, spanning the Zumbro River at Covered Bridge Park, just a few blocks from the business district, right next to the Zumbrota Public Library.

The bridge even has a festival named after it - Zumbrota Covered Bridge Music & Arts Festival, which takes place the third weekend in June every year.

Sit down to eat at the Coffee Mill Restaurant. We had a tasty breakfast AND pie, yum! One of the slices of "pie" was bread pudding made from cinnamon rolls.

Fun fact - President Obama stopped there in 2011 and the restaurant has commemorated his visit by hanging the pie tin (from his time there) on the wall. 

Crossings at Carnegie art gallery and shop, located in the former Carnegie Library, was our second stop. OMG... you need to go there... Why? Well they display new art exhibits every few months, hold art classes AND have a fabulous gift shop. They also host live music weekly.

The best part about visiting small towns is meeting the locals. Everyone we met in Zumbrota was friendly - from the staff at the Coffee Mill Café, to the barista at Bridget's Café, the owner of Wild Ginger Boutique, and the staff at Crossings at Carnegie. Through our visit at Crossings, we discovered that three of the local businesses are women owned - Wild Ginger Boutique, Luya Shoes, and the Crossings at Carnegie.

Two hours was definitely not enough time to experience all Zumbrota has to offer, so we will be back to spend more time downtown and at the Covered Bridge Park.